Transmedia storytelling and media representations: the case of #Luimelia

Abstract

This research analyzes the impact on social networks of the spin-off #Luimelia, broadcasted in February-March 2020 as a transmedia narrative extension of one of the plots of the Spanish fiction series Amar es para siempre, the most watched daily on television in Spain. Fans baptized with this label the affective-amorous relationship between two women, making lesbian relationships visible in a positive way in a fictional series. The success of their story gives rise to a new transmedia product, which promotes synergies between platforms and turns social networks into another narrative element. Based on the quantitative analysis of its impact on Twitter and three semi-structured in-depth interviews to the two scriptwriters of the series and a professional responsible for the measurement of audiences, as well as the quantitative analysis of its impact on Twitter, we show how the mobilization of fans was decisive for the emergence of #Luimelia and how its networking strategy contributes to the development of the plot and the construction of the main characters.